Infiniti unveils SUV with radical new engine tech

Infiniti has revealed the new 2019 QX50 SUV, the first vehicle in its lineup that will take advantage of new engine technology that will bring up to a 35% boost in fuel economy over the outgoing version.

The unveiling, taking place ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show, was meant to showcase a new SUV that it says is both a styling and technology statement.

The QX50 was created for roominess and a high seating position, Infiniti says. And it will include Infiniti’s latest driver-assist technologies.

But what makes the new QX50 stand out is its variable-compression engine, a technology that Infiniti says it is first to bring to production.

VC-Turbo, as Infiniti calls it, varies the compression in the cylinders based on driving conditions to save gas. As a result, Infiniti says its new 2-liter gas engine will have the same efficiency of a four-cylinder diesel engine.

Compression ratios will vary from 8:1 for power to 14:1 for economy. It is expected to deliver 27 miles per gallon overall, a 35% improvement over the outgoing V-6 in front-wheel drive. For all-wheel drive, the new VC-Turbo should be about 30% better. The engine is linked to a continuously variable transmission.

Courtesy US Today